This bill appropriates $4,750 from the Nebraska Power Review Fund for each of the fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28 to support the Nebraska Power Review Board. The funds are designated to help carry out provisions from Legislative Bill 1261, which establishes the board's operations. The appropriation specifically excludes spending on permanent or temporary employee salaries and per diems. This measure provides financial resources for the board's program activities without expanding personnel costs.
LB 1010 allows Nebraska electric districts to use eminent domain (government power to acquire property) for energy storage facilities, including batteries and other systems for storing electricity. It specifically prohibits consumer-owned electric cooperatives from using eminent domain to take privately developed renewable energy projects (like wind farms and their related infrastructure) that meet requirements under Section 70-1014.02. The bill updates rules for how utilities apply for permits, file notices, and handle violations related to energy storage resources. These changes aim to clarify legal authority for energy storage while protecting existing renewable energy investments.
LB 207 creates a tiered registration fee for alternative fuel vehicles under Nebraska's Motor Vehicle Registration Act. It charges a base $150 fee for most alternative fuel vehicles (reduced to $75 for motorcycles and plug-in hybrids), but imposes a three-times higher fee ($450) for commercially registered vehicles over 7,500 lbs gross weight. The revenue from these fees is directed to the Highway Trust Fund. This bill directly affects commercial fleet operators using alternative fuel vehicles weighing more than 7,500 pounds, modifying their registration costs under existing law.
LB 43 modifies notice and certification requirements for privately developed renewable energy facilities (like solar or wind projects) and transmission lines located near military installations in Nebraska. It directly affects private renewable energy developers who must now comply with updated notification and certification processes when building projects near designated military sites, including Air Force bases and missile silos. The bill harmonizes existing rules by revising sections of Nebraska law to streamline these requirements, removing redundancies while maintaining security considerations for military operations. The changes became effective upon the governor’s approval on February 25, 2025.
Nebraska's LB 36 establishes the Safe Battery Collection and Recycling Act, requiring producers of covered batteries (excluding medical devices, vehicle batteries, and certain electronics) to join designated battery stewardship organizations by January 1, 2028. These organizations must meet recycling efficiency targets for collected batteries, with penalties for noncompliance. The bill also creates a Home Weatherization Clearinghouse to support energy efficiency programs and includes provisions for mitigating habitat impacts on threatened or endangered species. It modifies water recreation, groundwater allocation, and Game and Parks Commission permit rules but focuses primarily on battery recycling requirements for producers and retailers.
LB 288 creates a new financing mechanism allowing Nebraska municipalities to establish "clean energy assessment districts" that let property owners fund energy efficiency, grid resilience, and renewable energy projects through annual property assessments. It directly affects residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial property owners who choose to participate in these districts, covering costs for projects like solar panels, insulation, smart grid technology, and backup power systems. The bill requires municipalities to define eligible projects and sets repayment terms tied to the project's useful life, with property owners paying back through their property tax bills over time. This replaces previous financing rules under Nebraska's Property Assessed Clean Energy Act and related housing laws.
LB 50 changes how revenue from Nebraska's nameplate capacity tax on renewable energy facilities is distributed. Five percent of the tax revenue will go directly to the community college in the area where the renewable energy facility (like wind or solar farms) is located. The remaining revenue will be distributed to local governments (cities, counties) that would have collected property taxes on the facility if it weren't exempt, calculated based on each government's share of typical property tax revenue. This distribution continues until the facility's equipment is sold or removed, and the tax revenue cannot be redirected to the state General Fund.
LB 36A is an appropriation bill that allocates specific funds from the Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Fund to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy. It provides $51,585 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $109,036 for 2026-27 to support Program 513, directly funding the implementation of Legislative Bill 36. The bill includes spending limits: total salary and per diem costs cannot exceed $30,264 for 2025-26 or $63,554 for 2026-27. This funding mechanism ensures resources are available for the waste reduction program outlined in LB 36, without changing laws or affecting the public directly.
This bill requires Nebraska electric utilities to provide service to customers who own small on-farm renewable energy systems (≤100 kilowatts) used for agricultural purposes, such as solar or wind installations. It specifically applies to systems that don’t connect to the grid for net metering and must be located on the same property as the farm’s electric account. Utilities must serve these customers but can still require compliance with safety standards, interconnection rules, and standard rates. The bill ensures grid access for qualifying farm systems without altering utility rate structures or creating new financial incentives.
